“The Lord God Made Them All”
Dogs, cats, horses, rats and other creatures great and small will be welcomed at a Blessing of the Animals at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Peace Lutheran Church in Grass Valley.
Humans also may attend – if accompanied by a responsible animal.
St. Francis of Asissi, courtesy democracyweb.com
This free event commemorates St. Francis of Assisi, the 13-century Italian gadabout who accepted God’s call to empty his life and be an example of love and service to all. Francis believed all nature mirrors the Divine, wrote a song that included praises for the sun and moon, and was reputed to preach to birds, whom he called his “sisters.” His feast day is Oct. 4.
St. Francis’ beloved poem praising all creation is called “Canticle of the Sun.” Click here to listen to the poem set to music by Marty Haugen, a modern and oft-sung Lutheran hymn-writer.
Here at PEACE, another song we love is “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” based on a poem written by Alexander Rutter in 1841. To hear one version, click here.
The blessing ceremony will be held in the parking lot. For more information, call PEACE Lutheran Church at (530) 273-9631. PEACE is at 828 W. Main St., near downtown Grass Valley.